


Rainbows

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Reader Prompts SK [30]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Childhood Memories, Friendship/Love, Gen, One Shot, Post-Canon, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 13:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14977907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: Kagome's dull rainy day is interrupted when she receives a welcome guest.





	Rainbows

Summers were Kagome’s least favourite season.

The warmth and the sunshine she loved well enough, but the rain… The rainy season was relentless and drove her to seek shelter in her hut.

And spending the majority of her days cooped up inside on weeks on end didn’t really endear to the season, any better than getting constantly soaked outside did.

That particular day was much like any other. Steady rain drummed the roof of Kagome’s hut, while she mended some of her clothes – another mindless task to see her through another boring rainy day.

Or so she thought until the sudden presence of _youki_ announced her visitor mere seconds before he strode into her hut, dripping all over her floor.

“Sesshoumaru!”

Kagome set aside her mending and hurried onto her feet and to Sesshoumaru. She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the centre of the hut so she could promptly sit him down in front of the hearth. 

“You’re soaking wet,” she admonished him, while stirring the coals.

Then she wandered off to get a few fresh bits of firewood and a tea pot, which she filled with water and hung from the pothook above the hearth.

“Whatever possessed you to go out in this weather?”

Sesshoumaru shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t seem to mind being soaked to the bone.

“I had to get out,” was all he offered in reply.

But Kagome understood and flashed him a quick smile.

“I’m glad you did come, I was getting stir-crazy myself – though not enough to brave that rain. Is it ever going to end?”

Sesshoumaru wasn’t well versed in exasperated rhetorical questions, as he readily offered her and answer: “Of course it will. All things end.”

Kagome bit her lip to swallow her laugh.

“I suppose so.”

“Where is Inuyasha? And Rin and the old miko?”

“They all left yesterday. There was a youkai attack at one of the villages nearby. A lot of wounded villagers and destroyed buildings. They went to offer aid.”

He raised his eyebrow at her. “And you did not?”

“Someone had to stay here,” Kagome said. “Those youkai might come this way next.”

“Do you need me to stay?”

“Oh, no. We’ll manage. But thank you, it’s kind of you to offer.”

Indeed, just 18 months ago Kagome could have never imagined that Sesshoumaru would make such an offer.

He had treated her with his typical cool indifference when she’d first come back through the well.

It was only after she and Inuyasha had admitted their relationship wasn’t working and had parted ways when Sesshoumaru had started to warm up to her.

Though sometimes it still caught her off guard.

They drank their tea and chatted, and compared to the tedious minutes Kagome had spent mending her clothes, the time seemed to fly as she and Sesshoumaru caught up.

Funny, how much his company had brightened her day.

And then, she noticed something.

The steady rush of rain was gone; now the only sounds from outside was the joyful chirping of songbirds.

“Hear that,” Kagome said with a smile. “The rain did stop.”

“Indeed,” Sesshoumaru said.

He got up and offered Kagome a hand.

She let him help her up and followed him outside.

She took a deep breath, relishing the clean air.

“I love how fresh everything looks and smells after rain,” she commented, walking beside Sesshoumaru towards the stone steps leading up to Inuyasha’s forest and the Bone Eater’s well.

It had become their habit, to often walk or spend time there.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Kagome turned to look down at the village. She glanced up at the sky, where the dark clouds were giving way to streaks of blue and gritted her teeth.

“What is it?” Sesshoumaru asked, sensing the sudden turn of Kagome’s mood.

“There’s a rainbow,” she said, hugging herself and nodding up towards the sky.

“And this upsets you?”

She didn’t have to turn around to know he was regarding her, eyebrows raised.

“Yes.” Kagome turned her back at the village and the rainbow arching across the sky. “I can’t stand the sight of them.”

“How peculiar.” Sesshoumaru looked up. “I always thought they had their charm.”

“You like rainbows?” she asked, incredulous.

“You do not?” he countered, deadpan.

“It’s just I wouldn’t have expected that,” Kagome said, shaking her head.

“I could say the same,” Sesshoumaru returned.

“I have my reasons,” Kagome said.

“And I have mine.” Sesshoumaru paused, but continued a brief moment later. “I saw one as a pup. My father had taken me out hunting with him for the first time.”

“How did it go?”

“My father felled two deer and I had caught a rabbit, my first kill. I was proud and my father had praised me, which he never did lightly. Then, on our way back home, we saw a rainbow. That moment has stuck with me for some reason and that is why I am not averse to rainbows.”

“That is sweet. No wonder you like them then.”

“And you?” Sesshoumaru asked. “What is your reason for disliking them?”

Kagome did not reply right away. She stared at the wet grass by her feet, ran her fingers through her hair.

“I was seven,” she replied at last, “when I snuck out to the yard one afternoon. I couldn’t stay inside the house any longer, just couldn’t, so I slipped out. I sat underneath the Goshinboku, my arms around my knees… And right then, I saw the biggest and brightest rainbow ever. I started to cry, because it seemed so unfair to see something so beautiful on such a bleak day.” Kagome fell silent.

After a moment, she drew in a trembling breath. “It was the day we buried my father.”

The warm weight of Sesshoumaru’s hand was comforting as it settled onto her shoulder, and Kagome leaned into the touch.

“Like you, I’m reminded of the memory every time I see one, which is why they upset me.”

“That is a good reason,” Sesshoumaru said, his voice grave. “I am sorry you lost your father so young.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry about your father too.”

In companionable silence, they walked a little further, until at last they took a seat underneath the Goshinboku, on the moist grass dappled by sunlight.

Comforted by his presence and his silence, Kagome let her head fall to rest against Sesshoumaru’s shoulder and felt content.

 


End file.
